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Letter, 1858 Feb. 6, Bloomington, to George Winter, Lafayette

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Dear Winter, I received your letter by the last mail andregret to learn that you have been exposed to so many vexatiousoccurrences. Some money may perhaps yet come to light &to hand as there is no calculating what route it my havetaken. I remitted some money a few days before Christmasand it is only a little more than a week since I gottidings of it. I have not remitted to you, but will doso, if you desire it, by mail. Had it been a largersum it might be sent by express. I will do as youwish in regard to our old friends the Pottawattamies [Potawatomis]there were some men among them, whose memory shouldnot be allowed to rot. There was Sin a ga waw [Sinagawa] or“the Squirrel” who inspired me with a profound admirationand whose character was indeed worthy or respect. Hegave our friend Col Pepper an annihilating reply tothe speech which the Col made to the tribe. He wasindeed one of natures noblemen, and a most effect-tive orator. In regard to Father Petit, whom I knewwell, and esteemed highly, I was aware that he wasdead, but never heard that he was killed by and IN-dian nor any one else. I always understood thathe died from cold, fatigue and exposure, soon afterhis arrival upon Osage River. It was a terrible marchand a vast deal of suffering and loss of life resultedfrom want of water. I had never imagined beforethat such debility could have been produced simplyby thirst. On our march to Camp Sandusky in IllinoisI came very near fainting and falling off my horseon the prairie, for several minutes I was totally blind.Petit was a man of delicate frame, and evidently pre-disposed to pulmonary disease, and when so manystout athletic men, were falling around, it was notsurprising that he should be seriously and perhaps fatallyinjured, his death gave me no surprise therefore, for itwas a natural consequence. I think John Dowling ofWashington City is acquainted with all the circumstances& that I heard of Petit’s death from him. If any Indian

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Dear Winter, I received your letter by the last mail andregret to learn that you have been exposed to so many vexatiousoccurrences. Some money may perhaps yet come to light &to hand as there is no calculating what route it my havetaken. I remitted some money a few days before Christmasand it is only a little more than a week since I gottidings of it. I have not remitted to you, but will doso, if you desire it, by mail. Had it been a largersum it might be sent by express. I will do as youwish in regard to our old friends the Pottawattamies [Potawatomis]there were some men among them, whose memory shouldnot be allowed to rot. There was Sin a ga waw [Sinagawa] or“the Squirrel” who inspired me with a profound admirationand whose character was indeed worthy or respect. Hegave our friend Col Pepper an annihilating reply tothe speech which the Col made to the tribe. He wasindeed one of natures noblemen, and a most effect-tive orator. In regard to Father Petit, whom I knewwell, and esteemed highly, I was aware that he wasdead, but never heard that he was killed by and IN-dian nor any one else. I always understood thathe died from cold, fatigue and exposure, soon afterhis arrival upon Osage River. It was a terrible marchand a vast deal of suffering and loss of life resultedfrom want of water. I had never imagined beforethat such debility could have been produced simplyby thirst. On our march to Camp Sandusky in IllinoisI came very near fainting and falling off my horseon the prairie, for several minutes I was totally blind.Petit was a man of delicate frame, and evidently pre-disposed to pulmonary disease, and when so manystout athletic men, were falling around, it was notsurprising that he should be seriously and perhaps fatallyinjured, his death gave me no surprise therefore, for itwas a natural consequence. I think John Dowling ofWashington City is acquainted with all the circumstances& that I heard of Petit’s death from him. If any Indian